The dramatic video of Hurricane Irma being broadcast as the storm churns through Florida shows wind-whipped trees, a toppled crane and sheets of rain. Lightning lurks in hurricanes as well, and a company in Colorado supplies systems that are tracking Irma’s strikes.

“One of the things about lightning in hurricanes is it isn’t discussed often,” said Kevin Petty, chief science officer for Vaisala, a Finnish company with North American headquarters in Louisville. “We tend to focus on wind and storm surge because that is obviously very important. But lightning can still be a hazard.”

On Sunday morning, when the storm made landfall in the Florida Keys, and wind and rain pummeled Miami, Vaisala’s lightning systems detected bolts generated near Orlando, approximately 183 miles from Key West.

The lightning strikes flashed in rain bands that spiral inward toward the center of the storm. “That is quite a distance away from the eye of the storm,” Petty said.

“There is quite a bit of lightning in some of those rain bands, and those rain bands can also produce tornadoes,” he added.

Vaisala has seen an average of 45 lightning strikes per minute in Irma, and some peaks of more than 60 per minute. “That is what we have seen watching it over the past few days,” said Melanie Scott, a meteorologist with Vaisala.

The National Weather Service uses lightning detection systems from Vaisala and other vendors all around the world, said Kurt Van Speybroeck, weather service meteorologist in Fort Worth, Texas.

Hurricane deaths are not often linked to lightning strikes, Van Speybroeck said. “Most people are in a hardened building, away from a window. Generally, people die from lightning by being outside in an exposed area.”

Vaisala collaborates with Colorado State University, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder and other research institutions and universities along the Front Range to “leverage some of the research going on to bring science-based products to market,” Petty said.

The company has 150 employees in Louisville and has offices in Boston, Seattle and Tuscon.

A crane atop a building under construction appears after it collapsed as Hurricane Irma passes by, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in downtown Miami.

Gideon J. Ape via AP

A crane atop a high-rise under construction in downtown Miami collapsed Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, amid strong winds from Hurricane Irma. The crane collapsed in a bayfront area filled with hotels and high-rise condo and office buildings, near AmericanAirlines Arena, according to a tweet from the City of Miami.

Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP

The winds and sea are whipped up off of the Rickenbacker Causeway as two people cross the street in Miami as Hurricane Irma approaches on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP

A man walks along the beach with heavy winds and threatening skies in Hollywood, Fla., as Hurricane Irma approaches the state on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

Helene Valenzuela, AFP/Getty Images

A firefighter helps a sailor to secure the anchoring of his boat on Sept. 4, 2017 at the harbour in Pointe-a-Pitre, on the French overseas island of Guadeloupe, as part of preparations for arrival of Hurricane Irma.

Ricardo Arduengo, AFP/Getty Images

Workers install storm shutters as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Fajardo, on Sept. 5, 2017.
In Puerto Rico, a US territory of 3.5 million, Governor Ricardo Rossello activated the National Guard and announced the opening of storm shelters able to house up to 62,000 people. The major of the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, ordered 900 municipal employees -- police, emergency personnel, and aid and social workers -- to report for rotating 12-hour shifts.Even if Puerto Rico is spared a direct hit, the mayor said, three days of pounding rain will do heavy damage.

Helene Valenzuela, AFP/Getty Images

People queue at a supermarket as they buy goods as part of preparations ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma on Sept. 5, 2017, in the French overseas island of Guadeloupe.
Irma picked up strength and has become an "extremely dangerous" Category Five hurricane as it approached the Caribbean on September 5, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center reported. The monster hurricane, the most powerful of the five-level Saffir-Simpson scale, is about 270 miles east of the island of Antigua packing maximum sustained winds of 175 miles (280 kilometers) per hour.

Andy Newman, The Associated Press

Ed Rappaport, the acting director of the National Hurricane Center, draws a line to illustrate the projected track of Hurricane Irma up Florida's west coast Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 during a television interview.

Storm clouds associated with the outer bands of Hurricane Irma shroud the downtown skyline Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Several parts of the Tampa Bay area are under a mandatory evacuation order for the approaching storm.

Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP

The winds and sea are whipped up off of the Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami as Hurricane Irma approaches on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

Jim Rassol /South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP

A young girl and her family seek shelter from Hurricane Irma at the West Boynton Park and Recreation Center in Boynton, Beach, Fla., on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

Wilfredo Lee, The Associated Press

People stand next to palm trees as they look at churning waves and high winds along Hollywood Beach, Fla., on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

Wilfredo Lee, The Associated Press

A young boy plays in the waves churned up by Hurricane Irma on Hollywood Beach, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Gerald Herbert, The Associated Press

Evacuees stand in line to enter the Germain Arena, which is being used as a shelter, in advance of Hurricane Irma, in Estero, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

Jay Reeves, The Associated Press

Thousands of people wait in line to get into a Hurricane Irma shelter at the Germain Arena in Estero, Fla., on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

Chris O'Meara, The Associated Press

Ramsey Abdelkader, right, helps Sherri Skala, left, and Jennifer Morales fill sand bags to help protect their restaurant Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, in Clearwater Beach, Fla. Business and residents were under a mandatory evacuation order as Hurricane Irma continued to churn towards Florida.

David Goldman, The Associated Press

Anna Leanaz carries her mattress as evacuees are moved to another building with more bathrooms while sheltering at Florida International University ahead of Hurricane Irma in Miami, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

David Goldman, The Associated Press

Evacuees are moved to another building with more bathrooms while sheltering at Florida International University ahead of Hurricane Irma in Miami, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

David Goldman, The Associated Press

Evacuees are moved to another building with more bathrooms while sheltering at Florida International University ahead of Hurricane Irma in Miami, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

David Goldman, The Associated Press

Hector Padron carries his mattress as evacuees are moved to another building with more bathrooms while sheltering at Florida International University ahead of Hurricane Irma in Miami, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

David Goldman, The Associated Press

Annette Davis kisses her son Darius, 3, while staying at a shelter in Miami after evacuating from their home in Florida City, Fla., ahead of Hurricane Irma Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

David Goldman, The Associated Press

Tim Grollimund looks at the projected path of Hurricane Irma on his phone while staying in a shelter in Miami after evacuating his home in Key Largo along the Florida Keys, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.

The Interstate remains empty as the outer bands of Hurricane Irma reached South Florida early Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 in Miami.

David Goldman, The Associated Press

Keith Gahagan takes a photo of the early effects of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Gahagan plans on riding out the storm in Naples but on higher ground further inland.

Lionel Chamoiseau, AFP/Getty Images

A photo taken on Sept. 7, 2017 shows damage in Orient Bay on the French Carribean island of Saint-Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma.
France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 rushed to provide water, emergency rations and rescue teams to territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, with aid efforts complicated by damage to local airports and harbours. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe confirmed four people were killed and 50 more injured.

Dieu Nalio Chery, The Associated Press

A woman carries her grandmother away from her home which was flooded by rains brought on by Hurricane Irma, in Fort-Liberte, Haiti, Friday Sept. 8, 2017. Irma rolled past the Dominican Republic and Haiti and battered the Turks and Caicos Islands early Friday with waves as high as 20 feet (6 meters).

Hector Retamal, AFP/Getty Images

Debris and trash is seen on a beach in Cap-Haitien on Sept. 7, 2017, as Hurricane Irma approaches.
Irma was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 185 mph (295 kph) as it followed a projected path that would see it hit the northern edges of the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Thursday, continuing past eastern Cuba before veering north for Florida.

Dieu Nalio Chery, The Associated Press

A boy sits on wall near his home flooded by heavy rains brought on by Hurricane Irma, in Fort-Liberte, Haiti, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Irma rolled past the Dominican Republic and Haiti and battered the Turks and Caicos Islands early Friday with waves as high as 20 feet (6 meters).

Lucita Leonce 71, complains in front of her home flooded by heavy rains brought on by Hurricane Irma, in Fort-Liberte, Haiti, Friday Sept. 8, 2017. Irma rolled past the Dominican Republic and Haiti and battered the Turks and Caicos Islands early Friday with waves as high as 20 feet (6 meters).

NASA, NOAA GOES Project via Getty Images

In this NASA/NOAA handout image, NOAA's GOES satellite shows Hurricane Irma (C) in the Caribbean Sea, Tropical Storm Jose (R) in the Atlantic Ocean and Tropical Storm Katia in the Gulf of Mexico taken at 15:45 UTC on Sept. 08, 2017. Hurricane Irma barreled through the Turks and Caicos Islands as a category 4 storm en route to a destructive encounter with Florida this weekend.

Lionel Chamoiseau, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on Sept. 7, 2017 shows inhabitants of the Sandy town neighborhood clearing off wreckages in a street in Marigot on the French Carribean island of Saint-Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma.

Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images

Hundreds of people gather in an emergency shelter at the Miami-Dade County Fair Expo Center in Miami, Florida, Sept. 8, 2017, ahead of Hurricane Irma.
Florida Governor Rick Scott warned that all of the state's 20 million inhabitants should be prepared to evacuate as Hurricane Irma bears down for a direct hit on the southern US state.

Hector Retamal, AFP/Getty Images

People sit on a tree next to a flooded river, in the north east of Haiti, on Sept. 8, 2017, during the passage of Hurricane Irma.
Irma has been downgraded to a Category Four hurricane but is still extremely dangerous, the National Hurricane Center said.

Osvaldo Gutierrez Gomez, ACN via The Associated Press

Handlers from the Cayo Guillermo dolphinarium prepare dolphins for their transfer to the dolphinarium in Cienfuegos, located on Cuba's southern coast, just hours before the arrival of Hurricane Irma, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Irma spun along the northern coast of Cuba, where thousands of tourists were evacuated from low-lying keys off the coast dotted with all-inclusive resorts. Irma has left at least 20 people dead and thousands homeless on a devastated string of Caribbean islands. (Osvaldo Gutierrez Gomez/ACN via AP)

Hector Retamal, AFP/Getty Images file

People walk in a street that was flooded in Malfeti, in Fort Liberte, Haiti, on Sept. 8, 2017, during the passage of Hurricane Irma.

This handout picture released on the Facebook account of Carole Greaux on Sept. 6, 2017 shows a flooded street in Gustavia, on the French administered territory of Saint Barthelemy, during the passage of Hurricane Irma.
Hurricane Irma ripped through the Caribbean, with its violent winds and torrential rains leaving a trail of devastation and killing 12 as it barreled towards the United States where up to a million people were told to flee.

Lionel Chamoiseau, AFP/Getty Images

A photo taken on Sept. 7, 2017 shows damage in Orient Bay on the French Carribean island of Saint-Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma.
France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 rushed to provide water, emergency rations and rescue teams to territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, with aid efforts complicated by damage to local airports and harbours. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe confirmed four people were killed and 50 more injured.

Amy Beth Bennett, South Florida Sun Sentinel via The Associated Press

Carol Schumacher, who plans to ride out Hurricane Irma with her husband, Bob, and dog Casey, sits in a lawn chair in the front yard of her Lauderdale-By-The-Sea home as her husband finishes up hurricane preparations Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, in Pompano Beach, Fla. ( Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)

Lionel Chamoiseau, AFP/Getty Images

TOPSHOT - A photo taken on Sept. 7, 2017 shows damage in Orient Bay on the French Carribean island of Saint-Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma.
France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 rushed to provide water, emergency rations and rescue teams to territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, with aid efforts complicated by damage to local airports and harbours. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe confirmed four people were killed and 50 more injured.

Lionel Chamoiseau, AFP/Getty Images

TOPSHOT - People look at damage on Sept. 7, 2017, in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma.
France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 sent water, emergency rations and rescue teams to their stricken territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, which has killed at least 10 people. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where eight of the 10 confirmed deaths took place.

Ian Brown, The Associated Press

In this image made from video shows a damage to a post office caused by Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. Hurricane Irma weakened slightly Thursday with sustained winds of 175 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm boasted 185 mph winds for a more than 24-hour period, making it the strongest storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. The storm was expected to arrive in Cuba by Friday. It could hit the Florida mainland by late Saturday, according to hurricane center models.

Dieu Nalio Chery, The Associated Press

Personal papers and notebooks recovered from a flooded home are spread out on a cot in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Fort-Liberte, Haiti, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Irma rolled past the Dominican Republic and Haiti and battered the Turks and Caicos Islands early Friday with waves as high as 20 feet (6 meters).

Mike Stocker, South Florida Sun Sentinel via The Associated Press

A homeowner in Dania Beach, Fla., has a stern warning painted on his boarded up window Friday, Sept. 7, 2017, ahead of Hurricane Irma.

Anika E. Kentish, The Associated Press

In this Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, photo, damage is left after Hurricane Irma hit Barbuda. Hurricane Irma battered the Turks and Caicos Islands early Friday as the fearsome Category 5 storm continued a rampage through the Caribbean that has killed a number of people, with Florida in its sights.

An aerial photography taken and released by the Dutch department of Defense on Sept. 6, 2017 shows the damage of Hurricane Irma in Philipsburg, on the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Maarten.
Hurricane Irma sowed a trail of deadly devastation through the Caribbean on Wednesday, reducing to rubble the tropical islands of Barbuda and St Martin.

Jonathan Falwell via The Associated Press

This Sept. 6, 2017 photo shows storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in St. Martin. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees. Significant damage was reported on the island known as St. Martin in English which is divided between French Saint-Martin and Dutch Sint Maarten.

Lionel Chamoiseau, AFP/Getty Images

A photo taken on Sept. 6, 2017 shows broken palm trees on the beach of the Hotel Mercure in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma.
France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 sent water, emergency rations and rescue teams to their stricken territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, which has killed at least 10 people. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where eight of the 10 confirmed deaths took place.

Ricardo Arduengo, AFP/Getty Images

A woman pulls a travel case on a rock scattered road in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on Sept. 7, 2017.
One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, the rare Category 5 hurricane churned westward off the northern coast of Puerto Rico early Thursday on a potential collision course with south Florida, where at-risk areas were evacuated.

Lionel Chamoiseau, AFP/Getty Images

A photo taken on Sept. 7, 2017 shows ships wrecked ashore, in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma.
France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 sent water, emergency rations and rescue teams to their stricken territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, which has killed at least 10 people. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where eight of the 10 confirmed deaths took place.

Lionel Chamoiseau, AFP/Getty Images

A photo taken on Sept. 6, 2017 shows the Hotel Mercure in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, during the passage of Hurricane Irma.
France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 sent water, emergency rations and rescue teams to their stricken territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, which has killed at least 10 people. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where eight of the 10 confirmed deaths took place.

Hector Retamal, AFP/Getty Images

The Desir family wait next to their house as they prepare to go to a shelter to await the arrival of Hurricane Irma, in Cap-Haitien, on Sept. 7, 2017.
Irma was expected to hit the northern edges of the Dominican Republic and Haiti later Thursday, continuing past eastern Cuba before veering north towards Florida.

Lionel Chamoiseau, AFP/Getty Images

A photo taken on Sept. 6, 2017 shows cars piled on top of one another in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma.
France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 sent water, emergency rations and rescue teams to their stricken territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, which has killed at least 10 people. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where eight of the 10 confirmed deaths took place.

AFP Photos/Dutch Defense Ministry/Gerben Van Es

An aerial photograph taken and released by the Dutch Department of Defense on Sept. 6, 2017 shows the damage of Hurricane Irma, on the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Maarten.

Tatiana Fernandez, The Associated Press

A home is surrounded by debris brought in by Hurricane Irma in Nagua, Dominican Republic, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees. Irma flooded parts of the Dominican Republic when it roared by Thursday, just off the northern coast of the island it shares with Haiti.

Red Huber, Orlando Sentinel via The Associated Press

Tyrone Tomlinson, 27, of Orlando, uses a family wheelchair to ferry sandbags to be used on the front porch of their family home in Orlando, Fla., Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, as residents prepare for Hurricane Irma. Long lines of vehicles waited for hours to get a 10 sand bag limit at the City of Orlando Public Works.

Marta Lavandier, The Associated Press

Max Garcia, of Miami, waits in a line since dawn to purchase plywood sheets at The Home Depot store in North Miami, Fla., Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. Florida residents are preparing for the possible landfall of Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in recorded history.

Al Diaz, Miami Herald via The Associated Press

Traffic is seen heading North along the Florida Turnpike near Homestead, Fla., as tourists in the Florida Keys leave town on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. Heavy rain and 185-mph winds lashed the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico's northeast coast Wednesday as Hurricane Irma roared through Caribbean islands on its way to a possible hit on South Florida. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)

Rinsy Zieng, AFP/Getty Images

A handout grab image made from a video released on Sept. 6, 2017 by RCI Guadeloupe shows flooded streets and damage on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, filmed from a terrace of the Beach Plaza hotel after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island.
Monster Hurricane Irma slammed into Caribbean islands today after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour , weather experts said.

Joe Raedle, Getty Images

A sign in a business reads, 'Go Home Irma Youre Drunk,' as people prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall.

Carlos Giusti, The Associated Press

Joshua Alicea, rescue staff member from the Municipal Emergency Management Agency removes a fallen tree while touring the streets of the Matelnillo community searching for citizens in distress during the passage of Hurricane Irma through the northeastern part of the island in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. The US territory was first to declare a state of emergency las Monday, as the National Hurricane Center forecast that the storm would strike the Island Wednesday.

Emily Michot, Miami Herald via The Associated Press

A gas station has their windows boarded as gas was still flowing at the station on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017 in Miami. Heavy rain and 185-mph winds lashed the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico's northeast coast Wednesday as Hurricane Irma roared through Caribbean islands on its way to a possible hit on South Florida.

Rinsy Zieng, AFP/Getty Images

A handout picture released on Sept. 6, 2017 on the twitter accound of RCI Guadeloupe shows a flooded street on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island.
Monster Hurricane Irma slammed into Caribbean islands today after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour , weather experts said.

Michele Eve Sandberg, AFP/Getty Images

Empty shelves are seen as people make Hurricane Irma preparations at a Winn Dixie store in South Florida on Sept. 6, 2017 in Hallandale, Florida.
Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, cut a deadly swath through a string of small Caribbean islands on Wednesday and was on a collision course with Puerto Rico and potentially south Florida.

Hector Retamal, AFP/Getty Images

A man watches while a bulldozer clean debris in a canal, in Cap-Haitien, on Sept. 6, 2017, 240 km from Port-au-Prince, as preparatives before the arrival of Hurricane Irma. Some people in Cap-Haitien still do not have information on the arrival of Hurricane Irma and many others do not know what to do or where to go to take shelter.

Jose Jimenez, Getty Images

A street is flooded during the passing of Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6, 2017 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. The category 5 storm is expected to pass over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands today, and make landfall in Florida by the weekend.

Marc Serota, Getty Images

Three men install hurricane shutters at the Made 2 Order Restuarant in Islamorada, Florida on Sept. 6, 2017. The storm has grown to a category 5 and is expected to make landfall in the Florida Keys this weekend.

Mark Wilson, Getty Images

A concessioner worker realizes he loading too many lounge chairs on his cart during preparations for approaching Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6, 2016 in Miami Beach, Florida. Current tracks for Hurricane Irma shows that it could hit south Florida this weekend.

Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel via The Associated Press

Drivers wait in line for gasoline in Altamonte Springs, Fla., ahead of the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Irma, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. Irma roared into the Caribbean with record force early Wednesday, its 185-mph winds shaking homes and flooding buildings on a chain of small islands along a path toward Puerto Rico, Cuba and Hispaniola and a possible direct hit on densely populated South Florida.

Carlos Giusti, The Associated Press

A man drives through rain and strong winds during the passage of hurricane Irma, in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. The US territory was first to declare a state of emergency las Monday, as the National Hurricane Center forecast that the storm would strike the Island Wednesday.

Johnny Jno-Baptiste, The Associated Press

A man surveys the wreckage on his property after the passing of Hurricane Irma, in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. Heavy rain and 185-mph winds lashed the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico's northeast coast as Irma, the strongest Atlantic Ocean hurricane ever measured, roared through Caribbean islands on its way to a possible hit on South Florida.

Helene Valenzuela, AFP/Getty Images

Passengers wait to check in at the departures terminal of the Pole Caraibes international airport in Pointe-a-Pitre, which re-opened on Sept. 6, 2017, after hurricane Irma hit the island.
Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, cut a deadly swath through a string of small Caribbean islands on Wednesday and was on a collision course with Puerto Rico and potentially south Florida.

Yanelis Gomez pushes her cart after shopping at a local supermarket as she prepares for Hurricane Irma, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Hialeah, Fla. Hurricane Irma grew into a dangerous Category 5 storm, the most powerful seen in the Atlantic in over a decade, and roared toward islands in the northeast Caribbean Tuesday on a path that could eventually take it to the United States.

NOAA via AP

In this GOES-East satellite image taken Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017 at 3:45 p.m. EDT, and released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Hurricane Irma, a potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane, moves westward in the Atlantic Ocean toward the Leeward Islands. Hurricane Irma grew into a dangerous Category 5 storm, the most powerful seen in the Atlantic in over a decade, and roared toward islands in the northeast Caribbean Tuesday on a path that could eventually take it to the United States.

Lara Cerri, Tampa Bay Times via AP

Joseph, Jr., right, 15, of St. Petersburg, bends down to carry sandbags to his family's vehicle at Lealman Community Park, in St. Petersburg, Fla., Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, as residents prepare for Hurricane Irma.

Joe Raedle, Getty Images

People line up to get their propane tanks filled as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on Sept. 5, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall.

Ricardo Arduengo, AFP/Getty Images

Workers from a hardware store secure plywoods on top of a car as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Bayamon, on Sept. 5, 2017.
In Puerto Rico, a US territory of 3.5 million, Governor Ricardo Rossello activated the National Guard and announced the opening of storm shelters able to house up to 62,000 people. The major of the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, ordered 900 municipal employees -- police, emergency personnel, and aid and social workers -- to report for rotating 12-hour shifts.Even if Puerto Rico is spared a direct hit, the mayor said, three days of pounding rain will do heavy damage.

Carlos Giusti, The Associated Press

Cyber School Supply Christopher Rodriguez is supported as he installs wood panels over a storefront window in preparation for Hurricane Irma, in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Irma grew into a dangerous Category 5 storm, the most powerful seen in the Atlantic in over a decade, and roared toward islands in the northeast Caribbean Tuesday.

Ricardo Arduengo, AFP/Getty Images

Islata Marina cay is seen as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Fajardo, on Sept. 5, 2017.
In Puerto Rico, a US territory of 3.5 million, Governor Ricardo Rossello activated the National Guard and announced the opening of storm shelters able to house up to 62,000 people. The major of the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, ordered 900 municipal employees -- police, emergency personnel, and aid and social workers -- to report for rotating 12-hour shifts.Even if Puerto Rico is spared a direct hit, the mayor said, three days of pounding rain will do heavy damage.

Ricardo Arduengo, AFP/Getty Images

Boats are seen docked at a marina as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Fajardo, on Sept. 5, 2017.
In Puerto Rico, a US territory of 3.5 million, Governor Ricardo Rossello activated the National Guard and announced the opening of storm shelters able to house up to 62,000 people. The major of the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, ordered 900 municipal employees -- police, emergency personnel, and aid and social workers -- to report for rotating 12-hour shifts.Even if Puerto Rico is spared a direct hit, the mayor said, three days of pounding rain will do heavy damage.

A general assignment reporter for The Denver Post, Tom McGhee has covered business, police, courts, higher education and breaking news. He came to The Post from Albuquerque, N.M., where he worked for a year and a half covering utilities. He began his journalism career in New York City, worked for a pair of community weeklies that covered the west side of Manhattan from 14th Street to 125th Street.

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